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Realising that his injuries were too severe to wait for an ambulance, Gamble and Moran carried John Lennon to their car. Moran took Lennon legs and Gamble carried him by his underarms, and they placed him on the back seat. Gamble kneeled by his side as Moran drove at 50mph speeds to the nearest emergency hospital, St Luke's Roosevelt on West 59th Street.
Gamble attempted to keep Lennon conscious by talking to him. "Are you sure you're John Lennon?" he asked. "I am," came the reply. "How do you feel?" "I'm in pain," he is reported to have said.
Moran had contacted the hospital as he drove. Behind them was another police car, driven by Officer Anthony Palmer and containing an increasingly hysterical Yoko Ono.
Upon their arrival at the hospital a rolling stretcher was waiting. Medical director Dr Stephan Lynn took Lennon into the emergency room, while Ono called the Dakota to check on their son Sean's safety. Lennon had no pulse and wasn't breathing, but for 20 minutes Lynn and two other doctors opened his chest and attempted manual heart massage to try and restore circulation.
Despite the hospital's attempts, including blood transfusions and surgery by highly-trained staff, they were unable to save him. Dr Lynn pronounced John Lennon dead on arrival in the emergency room at the Roosevelt Hospital at 11.07pm on 8 December 1980.
Lynn informed Ono at 11.15pm. "He never stood a chance," he said. "Nothing we were able to do could revive your husband. We believe the first bullet killed him. It ripped through John's chest causing irreparable damage to a major artery." In a state of shock, Ono asked him: "Do you mean that he is sleeping?"
The cause of death was reported as hypovolemic shock, caused by the loss of more than 80% of blood volume. The hollow-point bullets used by Chapman expanded upon entering the body, causing irreparable damage to Lennon's organs.
The news of Lennon's death broke on WABC TV's Monday Night Football. The producer, Bob Goodrich, told host Howard Cosell, who announced it on-air during a televised match between the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins.
This, we have to say it. Remember this is just a football game, no matter who wins or loses. An unspeakable tragedy, confirmed to us by ABC News in New York City: John Lennon, outside of his apartment building on the West Side of New York City, the most famous, perhaps, of all The Beatles, shot twice in the back, rushed to the Roosevelt Hospital, dead on arrival.
NBC announced the news during The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson; the show was interrupted by a news bulletin. On CBS Lennon's death was reported by Walter Cronkite and reporters.
At the Record Plant Studio, producer Jack Douglas had continued work on Walking On Thin Ice. His wife informed him of Lennon's death at 11.35pm. The news sent him into a state of shock, and he decided to wipe the tapes of studio banter between him and Lennon recorded that day. He has never revealed the precise nature of their conversations.
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Really sad article this, seeing everything John did on the day leading up to it.
Just a couple of things Joe. I think Helen Seaman was Fred's Aunt, not his wife? From most of the reports i have read, they said John got out of the limo after Yoko. I'm not sure if this is right but I've read and seen a few things about that day recently and that's what they said
Thanks for the corrections. I've amended the article now.
Hollow-point bullets... What a son of a bitch...
Last night, after reading this article, and Norman's bio, I was thinking about the rock & roll novel I want to write, and this idea cross my mind: "what if John would be still alive?" That will definitely part of the novel.
This is really sad. Mark David Chapman will never be forgiven. I know that for a fact. John was an excellent father, husband, and an extraordinare in the music business. He will be missed forever.
I can NOT get over John Lennon's death. I have absolutely nothing but pain when I think about it. He was a beautiful man, despite his mistakes in life, What more did he do but give the world beautiful art and music? And incredibly poignant, timeless words and activism that will live on.
This...demon who shot him...I can not forgive. To die like a dog in the street when all you have ever done was give, give, give to the world? There is nothing sane or normal about that. I have absolute disgust in my country for the liberal gun laws we still carry. Look at all the innocent people getting shot at and dying or being physically impaired because any psycho can walk into a store and attain a weapon. When is this going to change?????!!!
My sympathy for Yoko, Julian, and Sean. I am SO sorry about your great loss that, I am certain, still hurts to this day.
RIP, You'll always shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun
He will be miss on this earth but his message will live forever and all we need to do is have love and peace ox
so hard to believe it has been that long, miss what he could of still of been giving us, his wisdom of using words was awesome! Wonder what of so many things he would think of this United States we live in now and the war!
Greatest of them all
All you needed was love. Peace, John Peace.
R.I.P. John......
It was in the 9th UK time
Though I was only six years old I remember when my mummy told me that he had been shot.
What would the world be like if her were still here? We can only wonder. Rest in peace John...xoxo
Shine on...
I always feel for his family but the greedy side of me misses what kind of music there might have been.
Who was John Lennon?
You're so fool...